We got this red ear sunfish and our 2 large mouth bass from a pond a couple of miles from out house. They are so much fun to watch and to feed. I'm hoping to add a catfish to the tank soon.

Just thought I'd share this story with you.

A friend of mine went fishing with one of his buddies, who had a gorgeous 125 gallon tank at home, filled with expensive fish. The buddy caught a juvenile large mouth bass and, instead of putting him back in the pond, he decided to take him home to put in his tank. My friend asked him, "Are you sure you want to do that?" "Oh sure," he replied, "everyone in that tank gels together. It'll be cool." So, the guy took the bass home and put him in the tank. The bass did a slow 360 around the tank, checking everything out. And then, BAM! In 7 minutes flat, that bass had eaten every single fish in the tank, the guy pounding on the tank in helpless frustration, "Nooooo!!"

A couple weeks later, my friend was over at this guys house and saw him feeding the bass raw hamburger. "What are you doing?" he asked. "I'm fattening him up," was the response. "This bass is gonna be a $500 filet!"

A friend of mine went fishing with one of his buddies, who had a gorgeous 125 gallon tank at home, filled with expensive fish. The buddy caught a juvenile large mouth bass and, instead of putting him back in the pond, he decided to take him home to put in his tank. My friend asked him, "Are you sure you want to do that?" "Oh sure," he replied, "everyone in that tank gels together. It'll be cool." So, the guy took the bass home and put him in the tank. The bass did a slow 360 around the tank, checking everything out. And then, BAM! In 7 minutes flat, that bass had eaten every single fish in the tank, the guy pounding on the tank in helpless frustration, "Nooooo!!"

A couple weeks later, my friend was over at this guys house and saw him feeding the bass raw hamburger. "What are you doing?" he asked. "I'm fattening him up," was the response. "This bass is gonna be a $500 filet!"

Oh no! I feel so bad for your friend. (even if I did laugh) I guess he had no idea that LMB were such aggressive feeders. They will eat anything that moves and anything that will fit in their mouths. Our LMB love turkey, hotdogs, worms, crickets...other fish. lol! We feed them everyday and you would think that after 2 1/2 yrs they would realize that they are going to be feed everyday, but they still fight over food. If your not careful they will jump right out of the tank after food.

We have a smaller LMB that we are trying to fatten up so we can put him in the tank with the others. He's a bit smaller and will get bullied if we put him in there now. Hoping to find a catfish soon, hubby caught a bullhead & a flathead but they get a little to big, a little to fast. Hoping for a channel cat, they don't grow as fast or as big.

Of course my husband says "I don't know if I can catch a fish that small". lol!

My rule of thumb is to either get fish that are all around the same size or just get them all together as juvies. Anything smaller or larger than one of my current resident's mouths are NOT going in my tank. The guy really made a reckless decision on putting a wild fish in his domestic tank. Extra care should always be taken when introducing wild stock to your domestic tank.

My rule of thumb is to either get fish that are all around the same size or just get them all together as juvies. Anything smaller or larger than one of my current resident's mouths are NOT going in my tank. The guy really made a reckless decision on putting a wild fish in his domestic tank. Extra care should always be taken when introducing wild stock to your domestic tank.

So true! I would have never put a wild fish in with my domestic fish, even it was small. Pond fish live my a different set of rules and can carry any # of diseases or parasites.

They will eat anything that moves and anything that will fit in their mouths. Our LMB love turkey, hotdogs, worms, crickets...other fish. lol! We feed them everyday and you would think that after 2 1/2 yrs they would realize that they are going to be feed everyday, but they still fight over food. If your not careful they will jump right out of the tank after food.

Sounds like my red ear sliders. I have to hand feed them or the female will steal all the food, and I swear they're purposefully trying to bite my fingers off along with their food!

That's (one) of the things so funny about the story. This guy was so sure that his his tank had a magical 'chill factor'. Hah! It's like bringing a tiger home to hang out with your housecats. Those poor angels (or whatever was in his tank) never had a chance.

Sounds like my red ear sliders. I have to hand feed them or the female will steal all the food, and I swear they're purposefully trying to bite my fingers off along with their food!

That's (one) of the things so funny about the story. This guy was so sure that his his tank had a magical 'chill factor'. Hah! It's like bringing a tiger home to hang out with your housecats. Those poor angels (or whatever was in his tank) never had a chance.